[ Home ]

Introduction

This is a Genealogy site and some explanation is doubtless necessary as it is continually growing and contains increasing amounts of data and information.  The site is here to publicise the work of the Ferdinand and Ferdinando researchers both here in the UK, and around the world.  It endeavours to provide up to date information on the family and attempts to set this information into some historic, geographic and social context.  It is a "not for profit site" and is run on a voluntary basis for the good of all researchers, not just those who are related to these surnames.

Site Layout

The Site is broken down into a series of main headings:

Clicking on the links brings you to these main headings and these introduce a series of further choices to "drill down" into further detail (please see note below about download times for some pages).  Each of these sections leads you further into the specific subject matter.  For instance, the Articles main page details all of the articles in this area and clicking on a link leads you to an article or a further index of articles.  The Gallery leads you to different Surnames and in the case of the Ferdinando Gallery in  particular, into an indexed area leading you to various pages of pictures.  In addition there are the following areas:

Navigation

Further Sections provide navigation assistance, these are:

There is also the

The Members area is a shared resource for Ferdy, Ferdinand and Ferdinando researchers.  Authorised access to this area can be obtained by contacting the webmaster and summarising your research credentials.

Back to Top

Moving Around the Site

Navigation bars are provided at the top and bottom of each page.  Large pages have "Back to Top" or "Back to Contents"  links within the text.  In all cases the top navigation leads you downwards into the site and more detail or back to the home page.  the bottom navigation is a high level area that leads you between the main sections of the site and up to the "Parent Page".  This also includes a home page link.

Back to Top

Parent Page?

I have used the term "Parent Page" on the navigation bars.  This takes you back to the main page above the one you are currently browsing.  For example if you are reading the Church descriptions page, clicking parent page will take you up to the main Church Photographs page.  Continual clicking the parent page button will return you to the main section of the web you started from.  When you have returned to the highest level in the hierarchy of pages you will be presented with the option of returning to the home page or again drilling down into the contents of the particular section you are in.  The bottom navigation bar remains constant throughout allowing you to move horizontally through the web site.

Back to Top

Off Navigation Pages

These are generally the family tree pages and do not have the standard navigation buttons on the top of the page.  At the foot of each page are a series of icons.  These icons provide the following functionality:

There are further text style buttons which take you to the surname and name indexes.

To exit the tree area.  Click the Home icon and then click the link back to the site's Home page.

On the Time Line pages, a similar arrangement is made.  Here you will find a text button with the words "back".  This takes you back to the timeline index.

In all cases these pages have been kept clear of the main navigation so that they do not "clutter" up the navigation buttons.  There are in excess of 100 pages between these two areas.

Back to Top

Images (General)

The images that have been used on this site are (in the main) compressed to allow for faster download and are usually arranged on pages as thumbnail views.  This arrangement allows a page to load faster and displays miniaturised (thumbnail) pictures.  The user can then click on the image to make it larger.  These images will load in a new window allowing you to continue browsing whilst the image is being loaded.  Images that can be enlarged are recognised by the mouse cursor changing to a small hand when moving the cursor over the image.  There are some site images that are presented full size on pages and these will not demonstrate the same behaviour.

Back to Top

Main Areas

The main areas can be summarised as follows:

Articles

These include articles about our ancestors, some articles written for various journals, historical information and articles about the Internet and family history research.

Gallery

This section houses the photographic records of our ancestors.  It also shows artefacts and miscellaneous photographs.

Family Tree

This contains the family tree in web searchable format and is a written (book style) tree.  No living individuals are contained on this tree.  The user can follow the individuals who are linked, read the notes pages and can search by a surname index.  These pages are saved within the main web but off of the main navigation.  When finished in this area, return using the "Home" button to the starting page and then use the "home page" button.  This returns you to the Home page of the web site.

Family History

Just that, details of our family history, historical events and so on.  This area deals with locations, occupations, churches our ancestors attended, origins and similar topics.  This area relates to our family history in particular although it does link to general information on occupations and trades which may be of interest to other researchers.

Family History Resources

Links, lists of resources and other data and information, some details about London and research helpers together with a listing of data and sources.  This is very much a reference area for researchers.

Sitemap

An alphabetical listing of all (Non Member Pages).  This allows you to view all of the sites main content pages and using the links, takes you directly to the page you are interested in.

Search

Allows the user to search for words and phrases within the main web site (Members area not covered).  There are many options to assist in your search including scoring of results and sound alike search capabilities.  Use the drop down lists to assist.  Whilst the search engine can handle quite complicated searches, it uses my words on this site and not what you think I may have written.  So if you were trying to find "workhouses in and around the Whitechapel area", you might try "workhouse AND Whitechapel" rather than the whole phrase.  This will bring up all occurrences of those words together, without the AND it will find occurrences of both words and then either word.

How to Use This Site

A brief explanation of what the site contains (this page)

Members Area

A Members Only area for researchers.  This area contains large family trees and recent data only.  Private information is held off of this site and is the subject of a moderated forum and group.

Back to Top

Some Notes about Download Times

Because, in places, this site has graphics and photographs that support the text and as these can be quite slow to load, please can I ask you to be patient when downloading certain of these larger pages?  These have been positioned away from the main navigation areas of the site and there is (typically) some sort of warning about size on them.  For instance, the gallery and church pages will take some time to download and the War casualties page is, likewise, a little heavy when it downloads.   The Abbey Street Sunday Schools Index is also slow as it has a number of book marked areas forming the indexing of the surnames, however, if you wish to view the book images en-masse, this page will take even longer to download as it contains thumbnail images of all 100 pages!  The main page of each section of the web site is less download intensive and leads you on into the content.  At this point you can choose whether to go ahead and drill into further detail.

Back to Top